Needle-thread-controlling device for sewing-machines.



No. 800,198. 'PATENTED SEPT. 26, 1905.

R. G. WOODWARD. NEEDLE THREADGONTROLLING DEVICE FOR SEWING MACHINES.

- APPLIOATION BILBI) JULY 23,1902.

' 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

5114432" Coz.

No. 800,198. 7 PATENTED SEPT. 26, 1905.

- E. G. WOODWARD. NEEDLE THREAD CONTROLLING DEVICE FOR SEWING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 23, 190 2.

2 SHEETS-SHEET Z.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

RUSSEL G. WOODWARD, OF WAUKEGAN, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO UNION SPECIALSEWING MACHINE COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A COR- PORATION OFILLINOIS.

NEEDLE-THREAD-CONTROLLING DEVICE FOR SEWING-MACHINES."

1\To. 800, 19s.

' Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 26, 1905.

Application filed July 28, 1902. Serial No. 116,624.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, RUssnL Gr. WooDWARD,a

- citizen of the United States, residing at Waukegan, 111 the county ofLake, State of Illinois,

have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements inNeedle-Thread-Controlling Devices for Sewing-Machines, of which thefollowing is a description, reference being had to portion of slackthread and to take up the slackin the needle-threads successivelythatis, as the looper moves forward to engage the needle-loops, all thethreads being slack at an interval of time before the looper passes intothe loopsand to successively tighten the threads as the looper engagesthe respective loops moving from right to left, the righthand threadbeing tightened first, and to successively tighten the threads in thedownward movement of the needles as the looper recedes from the needles,the left-hand thread being tightened first. By this arrangement themaking of imperfect stitches is avoided, the

needle-threads being prevented from moving together on the under side ofthe fabric and the stitches being prevented from breaking because ofunequal pull thereon by the looper, the present apparatus permitting thethreads being taken at the proper relative intervals of time with theproper tension to avoid strain and yet avoid too much slack. y

The invention therefore consists in an .ar rangement for accomplishingthe above-mentioned objects which is hereinafter described, and referredto in the appended claims.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in whichFigure 1 is a side elevation of so much of a sewing-machine as isnecessary to a complete understanding of the invention, in this figurethe looper being shownin its extreme retract- I ed position and theneedles intheir lowest po sition, the needle-threads being all drawntaut. Fig. 2 is a side view of the head of the machine, illustrating theposition of the needles and looper as the looper is taking the loop ofthe right-hand-needle thread, this thread having been pulled taut, whilethe other two threads are slack. The needles are moving up. Fig. 3 is asimilar view showing the position of the parts when the looper haspassed completely into all the needle-loops and is at the extreme of itsforward movement, the needles having reached the limit oftheir upwardstroke and the threads being all taut. Fig. 4 is a similar view showingthe position of the parts asthe looper is moving back out of theneedle-loops and the needles are moving down, the looper having passedout of the left-hand-needle loop and being just about to pass out of thesecond needle-loop, the thread of I the left-hand needle being taut, ofthe second needle being a trifle slack, but almost at the point oftightening, andthe right-hand-needle thread loose.

In the drawings, A represents the bed of the machine, N the needle-bar,L the looper, cooperating with the three needles a b 0, carrying thethreads 1 2 3, respectively. These parts, as Well as the other customaryparts of struction.

The needle-points are arranged at different elevations, as shown, which1s a usual conthe sewing-machine, being of well-known construction whena single looper cooperates with a plurality of needles to form a stitch.

The main feature of construction, whereby the results aimed at areaccomplished, aside from the broad invention, which conslsts in meansfor separately and successively controlling the needle-threads so as totighten up the threads successively as the looper enters the needles andtighten them successively as the looper leaves the needles, leaving themslack 'as the looper begins its forward movement and begins its backwardmovement, resides in the use of a series of guiding-eyes 4 5 6 for theneedle-threads (herein shown as formed in the part 7, attached to theneedle lever), said eyes guiding, respectively, the

threads 1 2 3 and arranged in different vertical planes, so that theypull onor release the respective threads separately and successively asthe forward end of the needle-lever swings up or down. This barcarryingthe eyelets is preferably inclined and secured to the needlebar lever;but this is not essential.

In operation when the looper is at its extreme backward positiontheneedles are down and the eyelets have pulled all the threads taut. Asit moves forward to take the loops, the needles moving up to throw outsuch, the bar 7 rises and the threads are slackcned. As the needles risestill higher and the looper passes into the loops the top eyelet 6 firsttightens the thread 3 of the right-hand eyelet, and successively theeyelets 5 and 4 tighten the threads 2 and 1 of the middle and lefthandneedles, respectively. When the looper has passed to the limit of itsforward movement and the needles to the limit of their upward movement,as shown in Fig. 3, the threads are all taut; but as the needles descendand the looper recedes from the loops the eyelets 4 5 6, respectively,release or allow to slacken the threads 1 2 3, as shown in Fig. 4, untilthe looper has passed entirely out of the loops, when the threads aretaut again.

Another feature of advantage is that as the eyes of the needles are atdifferent elevations in machines of this character and move throughdifierent distances below the throatplate the eyelets 4 5 6 regulate theamount of slack that is taken up and pulled off for the respectiveneedles. 4

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a sewing-machine having a plurality of needles, and a singlelooper cooperating therewith to form stitches, means for successivelyand separately controlling the needlethreads as the looper enters, andrecedes from, the needle-loops to tighten the threads successively asthe looper enters the needle-loops, and tighten them successively as thelooper leaves the needle-loops, leaving them slack while the looperbegins its forward and its backward movement; substantially asdescribed.

2. In a sewing-machine having a plurality of needles, and a singlelooper cooperating therewith to form stitches, means for successivelyand separately controlling the needlethreads as the looper enters, andrecedes from, the needle-loops to tighten the threads successivel y asthe looper enters the needle-loops, and tighten them successively as thelooper leaves the needle-loops, leaving them slack while the looperbegins its forward and its' Y backward movement and comprising a seriestrolling the needle-threads as the looper enters, and recedes from, theneedle-loops, to tighten the threads successively as the looper entersthe needle-loops, and tighten them successively as the looperleavcs theneedle-loops, leaving them slack while the looper begins its forward andits backward movement; substantially as described.

4. In a sewing-machine having a plurality of needles whose eyes are setin dili'erent horizontal planes and move through difl'e1entdistancesbelow the throat-plate, a single looper cooperating therewith to formstitches and means for successively and separately controlling theneedle-threads as the looper enters, and recedes from, the needle-loops,to tighten the threads successively as the looper enters theneedle-loops, and tighten them successively as the looper leaves theneedleloops, leaving them slack while the looper begins its forward andits backward movement, and comprising a series of eyelets simultaneouslymovable but arranged in different horizontal planes; substantially asdescribed.

5. In a sewing-machine comprising stitchforming mechanism, including aplurality of needles, and a single looper eor'iperating therewith toform stitches, means for controlling the slack of said needle-threadsseparately and successively, including a bar attached to theneedle-lever of the machine, and having a plurality of eyelets throughwhich the threads pass, said eyelets being arranged in differenthorizontal planes; substantially as described.

6. In a sewing-machine comprising stitchforming mechanism, including aplurality of needles and a single looper cooperatingtherewith to formstitches, means for controlling the slack of said neodle-tlu'cadsseparately and successively, including a bar attached to theneedle-lever of the machine, and having a plurality of eyelets throughwhich the threads pass, said eyelets being arranged in differenthorizontal and vertical planes; substantially as described.

7. A sewing-machine having a plurality of needles set in a plane atright angles to the line of feed, and a single looper cor'iperatingtherewith to form stitches; means for successively tightening theneedle-tlu'eads, as the looper passes into the needle-loops. and forsuccessively releasing the threads, as the looper begins to move out ofthe needleloops but as its point leaves each loop, to tighten same;substantially as described.

8. A sewing-machine having a plurality of needles set in a plane atright angles to the line of feed, and a single looper cooperatingtherewith to form stitches; means for successively tightening theneedle-thrczuls, as the looper passes into the needle-loops, and forsuccessively releasing the threads, as the looper begins to move out ofthe needlellO loops but as its point leaves 'each loop, to l Intestimonywhereoflaffix my signaturein tighten same, said meansincludinga movable presence of two witnesses.

bar havin a series of eyelets arranged in 1 diflerent h rizontal andvertical planes Where- RUSSEL WOODWA/RD' 5 by they successively act uponthe needle- Witnesses:

threads in the manner referred to; substan- CHESTER MGNEIL,

tially as described. EMMA KERN.

